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| AssetID : |
29812765 |
| Headline : |
Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2016 |
| Caption : |
© Ganesh H. Shankar_Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Birds winner |
| PersonInImage : |
Eviction attempt
Ganesh H Shankar
INDIA
Winner,Birds
These Indian rose-ringed parakeets were not happy. They had returned to their roosting and nesting hole high up in a tree in India’s Keoladeo National Park (also known as Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary) to find that a Bengal monitor lizard had taken up residence. The birds immediately set about trying to evict the squatter. They bit the monitor lizard’s tail,hanging on for a couple of seconds at a time,until it retreated into the hole. They would then harass it when it tried to come out to bask. This went on for two days. But the action only lasted a couple of seconds at a time and was fast-moving. The branch was also high up,and Ganesh had to shoot against the light. Eventually the parakeets gave up and left,presumably to try to find another place to rear their young. These Indian birds are highly adaptable,and escaped captive parakeets have founded populations in many countries. In Europe,where they are known as ring-necked parakeets,they are accused of competing for nest holes with some native species,such as nuthatches,and even bats,but in turn,other birds such as starlings are quite capable of evicting the parakeets from their nest holes.
Nikon D810 + 200mm f2 lens,1/500 sec at f5,ISO 400,Gitzo 5540LS tripod +
Sachtler 0707 FSB-8 fluid head. |
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